A TERMINALLY ill boy is hoping for a sackload of festive cards in a bid to make what could be his last Christmas special.

When friends heard that nine-year-old Layton Robinson-Bancroft, who has mitochondrial disease, was going to spend potentially his final Christmas in a new house which was adapted for his needs, but not fully furnished or decorated, they set up an appeal for as many seasonal cards to cheer him up.

Layton has damage to two parts of his brain that could stop him breathing at any point, so he was given anything up to a month to two years when he was diagnosed last Christmas

Mum Stacey

His mum, Stacey Burtonwood, 30, of Golborne, said: “Layton has damage to two parts of his brain that could stop him breathing at any point, so he was given anything up to a month to two years when he was diagnosed last Christmas. But he is deteriorating now and has seizures. He doesn’t even remember his name at times. We have had to keep him off school for a bit as he is so bad. So we want to make Layton’s Christmas as special as possible.

“When friends found out we were moving into a more suitable rented house with a wet room for Layton, they wanted to help raise funds to decorate his room. They realised I was disheartened about Christmas as we were moving into a new house with nothing in it and so came up with the idea to send Christmas cards to Layton and put it out on Facebook.

“He loves getting mail. Someone sent him a Manchester United shirt through the post and he was delighted with that. Imagine how he would be if he gets loads of Christmas cards. My two youngest children, Tillie, four, and Logan, two, are too young to understand that Layton is ill, but my eldest, Tyrese, 11, has been badly affected, but he is really excited by this appeal.”

The Facebook post about the Christmas cards has reached thousands of people, as far as Canada and New Zealand,

Stacey added: “It is overwhelming - I can’t believe it. Layton will be over the moon. Everyone has been really supportive. The Golborne community, as well as charity React, is helping us out with getting the house ready.

“My friend, Sarah Hawkins has set up a Facebook page to raise money and another pal, Natasha Greenwood is shaving her head.”